Año extends leave of absence

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año has extended his leave of absence with doctors yet to clear him for work, Jonathan Malaya, spokesperson for the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), said.

“The doctors have yet to give him (Año) clearance to return to work,” Malaya told reporters on Sunday. “[Año] is just placing his health above all else, taking time to fully recuperate and waiting for doctor’s advice to go back to work.”

The DILG spokesperson, however, did not say until when Año would be on leave.

Año’s undersecretary for peace and order, Bernardo Florece Jr., has been serving as officer in charge of the DILG for two months now.

Año started his leave of absence in January as part of his recovery after being infected twice with the new coronavirus last year. He extended his leave for the duration of February.

Malaya said then that since the interior secretary was hospitalized for COVID-19 treatment in August last year, “[Año] has not taken a single day of leave.”

During a medical checkup in January, Año was advised by his doctors “to slow down and take a break from stressful activities.”

Año initially tested positive for the new coronavirus on March 3 last year. He again tested positive on Aug. 16, 2020. INQ